Travel, hotels and making reservations has been super on the brain lately.
Because WE’RE GOING TO THE UK IN MAY!
I can’t remember if I had mentioned that on the blog, but I’m stoked! My husband has never been to the UK, and I’m excited to get back to where I studied abroad for a semester (Oxford). We’ll be in the UK for 12 days, visiting London, Oxford, Wales (Cardiff & the Snowdonia National Park), Nottingham and Edinburgh.
It’s going to be a fast and furious, but hopefully a beautiful and enjoyable trip.
So, with that in mind, I’ve spent hours over the past few months researching hotels.
Here are my tips for saving money when booking hotels:
1. Start early
Whenever your trip is, start looking at hotels and accommodations ASAP! After I book flights, I start looking seriously for where we will stay. Some people even have hotels figured out before they book flights, if dates are flexible. I think 2 or 3 months is a good time period to shoot for.
2. Look at alternatives (home rentals)
I am a huge fan of Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO. It is such a treat to get to stay in someone’s entire home or apartment in a new city, and this is especially nice when you have a big group. Hot tub, anyone?
I suggest looking at any or all those sites in the city where you’re going to see what type of spots are available and for what price. Compare those prices with local hotel prices and decide whether you want to get more room for your money.
I will say that sometimes in new larger cities, I stick to hotels if I want to a place to keep my luggage before or after check-in or I’m wanting to have a bar and restaurant downstairs, etc. For our UK trip, we’re doing a hotel in London and Airbnbs everywhere else (so far).
3. Compare hotel and aggregate websites and look for discounts
If you’ve decided to go with a hotel, check their prices everywhere! Google it to see the various prices on Expedia, Priceline, Kayak, etc. Then, also make sure you look at the hotel’s website, as there might be special deals if you stay a certain amount of nights or something like that.
Do your research. It will really pay off!
4. Look for free cancellation, just in case
This is another tip that I’ve been embracing for our UK trip. Look for a free cancellation on your hotel room, just in case something happens or your plans change. If you go the Airbnb route, then you can see how strict their cancellation policy is. I would also suggest looking for “entire home” options on those sites. One time, I thought I had booked that but didn’t and got into an odd situation and had to book a hotel room last minute.
Sites like Priceline offer cheaper room deals sometimes without a free cancellation which might be worth the risk for you, but you might want to think twice.
I’ll try to keep all of you updated on our UK trip, and please send any recs you have! All I know is that I’m getting stoked for some Ottolenghi, Welsh baked goods and perhaps some scotch.
Read the other How to Save Money posts.